In the Coop with MJ & Herm Auch

We are VERY excited today to welcome two of our finest feathered friends to the Coop! MJ & Herm Auch are the king and queen of funny in our book. Well, actually, in their books! And they have SO MANY!

From Chickerella to Peeping Beauty to Beauty and the Beaks (and many, many more), the Auchs have delighted us with their talents.

Chick out their website and while you're there, take a look at MJs wonderful novels. (We especially love WING NUT and ASHES FOR ROSES.)

Welcome to the coop, MJ & Herm!

When you create a book, do the pictures or story come to you first?

MJ: The story always comes first, but sometimes I visualize an illustration that sends the plot in a different direction. I had finished writing CHICKERELLA, when I pictured a fashion show with hens strutting down the runway as models. I couldn’t shake that image, so I changed the ending to have the prince and Chickerella start a fashion business instead of getting married.

How closely do you and Herm work at different stages of a book?

Herm: Not very. We have a two-story studio and work on separate floors. That’s why we get along so well.

MJ: We’re each better at different parts of the process. I write the story, and then hand it over to Herm.

Herm: I pace the story, plan page turns, and sketch the dummy. My most important job is to bug MJ to keep working and trying something new.

MJ: Yes, he’s a real pain sometimes. I develop the characters either in paint or sculpture, depending on which style we choose for the book.

Herm: I scan MJ’s painted characters, or photograph her 3-D mannequins and put everything together in the computer.

MJ: We work independently but enjoy surprising each other at the end of the day with our results.

How do you know when what you write/illustrate is funny??

MJ: Herm and I need to hit each other’s funny bones. That’s what I meant by surprising each other. We’re each aiming to get a laugh. In the reviews for Beauty and the Beaks, Herm got more mention for his titles for articles in the hens’ magazines than I got for the story!

You obviously love chickens and we love you for loving chickens, but why chickens?

MJ: When I was a kid, both of my grandmothers and our next-door neighbor had flocks of chickens. It seemed natural to me to hang around chickens and watch them interact. They had the same personalities you’d find in humans – the shy one, the diva, the bully, and the busybody.

Do you have any tips for writing funny books?

MJ: I think humor flows from your natural way of thinking and talking. It helps if you have a weird way of looking at things. In writing novels, I like to combine humor with some sad scenes because they enhance each other.

Do you have any tips for illustrating funny books?

MJ: We try to do the unexpected and combine things that wouldn’t occur together in real life. That’s why I put chickens in high heels. It’s hard not to laugh at a hen in a strappy sandal.

Herm: Facial expressions are important, especially with animals. We like to exaggerate the emotion to make sure it comes across.

Has being funny ever gotten you into or out of trouble?

MJ: Thinking I was being funny got me into trouble as a kid. I loved practical jokes and they often backfired. I’ve always found that humor helps defuse most sticky situations, though.

Herm: All I know is, when you write funny chicken books, you shouldn’t order a chicken sandwich for lunch at a school visit. The kids get mad at you.

What are some of your favorite funny books?????

MJ: Vivian Vandevelde’s Never Trust a Dead Man

Bruce Coville’s Thor’s Wedding Day

Peggy Rathman’s Officer Buckle and Gloria

Suzanne Bloom’s A Splendid Friend Indeed

Herm: Mark Teague’s Dear Mrs. LaRue: Letters from Obedience School

If you could live in one of your books, which one would you choose?

Herm: One-Handed Catch because I did live in it. MJ would definitely want to live in Chickerella because she wants the clothes!

MJ: That’s true. Well, maybe not the stepmother’s leopard print spandex unitard, but I want the sparkly gown she wears to the Fowl Ball. I also want the gown with the jewel-encrusted bodice that Chickerella wears to the fashion show. I have a real thing for sparklies, and so few occasions to wear them now that I’m no longer singing in Sweet Adelines, which was sequin heaven. One of my old quartet costumes, a red sequin tube top, is worn by Penny Pullet, the soloist for the Rock Island Reds. And I made Chickerella’s ball gown from my daughter’s junior prom dress. I’d like to wear that one, too.

Do you prefer The Marx Bros or Three Stooges?

MJ: Neither one, although I enjoyed Groucho on the TV show, You Bet Your Life, where he was being spontaneous. I think the funniest moments happen in real life, not scripted comedies. We’re lucky to have a lot of funny friends. There’s nothing better than just hanging out and having the one-liners crackle around the room.

Herm: Neither Marx or Stooges. I’m a Bob and Ray fan.

What was your best Halloween costume ever?

MJ: My Halloween costumes were real duds. I was the same stupid Blue Fairy every Halloween. I wore a rubber Wonder Woman mask that smelled a little worse each year.

Herm: I once went to a party as a pile of leaves. I thought nobody would recognize me, but my green and yellow sneakers sticking out from under my leaf-covered sheet gave me away.

What is your Dream Job for a Day?

MJ: Back up singer. You get to sing great harmony, but the star takes the blame if the gig turns out to be a bomb.

Herm: Play quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys.

Clown V. Mime Deathmatch.? Pick your winner.

MJ: I don’t care who wins. Can’t stand either one.

Funniest dead person you'd like to meet??

MJ: Lucille Ball

Herm: Ray Goulding

Do you have real chickens? If you do, can you tell us about them?

We had a flock of chickens on our farm when our children were growing up. They laid colored eggs. Well, not red or orange, but every shade of blue and green you could imagine. One hen always laid a lavender egg with pink spots. They gradually stopped laying eggs and all died of old age.

Iggy Peck Architect and Time Magazine Top 10!

Time to break out the braggy pants!

We're doing the chicken dance here at the coop to celebrate some really amazing news. And it's about time. TIME MAGAZINE that is!

IGGY PECK, ARCHITECT has been named one of the Time Magazine top 10 best kids' books of 2007! Go Iggy!

And not to be outdone, the Today Show listed Iggy in its great books for kids gift guide for 2007.

And then, Just One More Book (our favorite podcasters in the universe) have even added Iggy to their Desert Island Survival list. And it's a great list! Chick it out and let Mark and Andrea know what your top 10 survival books would be!

Hurray and Hurrah! Cheese doodles, guacamole and bean dip all around!!!! Come join in the Chicken Dance!

For those of you who are Chicken Dance Challenged. Here's an instructional video that can help!

Waltur Paints Himself Into a Corner

Waltur Paints Himself Into a Corner and Other Stories
by Barbara Gregorich
illustrated by Kristin Sorra
Houghton Mifflin
ISBN-13: 978-0618747962

www.barbaragregorich.com
www.kristinsorra.com

Looking for those ever-elusive early chapter books that are sweet, funny and educational all at the same time? Have we got a delicious duo of books for you. In Waltur Buys a Pig in a Poke and Waltur Paints Himself Into a Corner, Gregorich and Sorra present a trio of friends - Waltur, Matilda, and Darwin - whose humorous exploits serve to illustrate the meaning of popular idioms, such as "putting the cart before the horse" and "letting sleeping dogs lie."

Our favorite escapade involves Waltur painting the floor and trying so hard not to "paint himself into a corner" that he winds up painting himself into the middle of the room instead. Believe us, we three chicks have done that any number of times, so we can relate to Waltur's predicament. Fortunately, we and Waltur are lucky enough to have good friends to help us out whenever we goof up. And that's the true heart of these stories: the power of friendship. Hands down the best thing since sliced bread! (Idiom intended.)

Such a Prince

Written by Dan Bar-el
Illustrated by John Manders
Clarion Books, 2007
ISBN 9780618714681

Libby Gaborchick, local fairy, suggests to the king that all his sick daughter, Princess Vera, really needs is to eat three perfect peaches. That's all--nothing too fancy. "As fairies, go, I'm not the flashy kind," says Libby. "Glass slippers and pumpkin carriages are just not my style."

The classic tale of "The Three Perfect Peaches" is given a smart and funny twist in this telling by Bar-el, who uses the witty Libby Gaborchick as the narrator. Poor skinny Marvin tries his best to marry the lovesick Princess Vera. The pesky king, though, keeps foiling Marvin's plans. But no matter, Marvin has Libby on his side, and together they outsmart the king and queen and win the princess's hand. Like the cover promises, "Happy Ending Inside!"

Storyteller Bar-el lends a wry tone to this first person narrative that simply begs to be read aloud. The wild and woolly John Manders is at his best here, too, with plenty of crazy rabbits and doleful donkeys to keep readers laughing (we especially love the close-up of the queen's ample derriere). We think this book is absolutely perfect for Reader's Theater, but we're sure clever teachers and librarians can think of many more activities. Peach pie, anyone?

Parents' Choice Award!

We're celebrating here at the coop! Why, you ask?

Well, it could be that brand new feather drier we bought to keep our little yellow selves all fluffy. But it's not!

It could be the new shipment of bean dip and guacamole we are going to snarf down for our Thanksgiving dinner! But it's not!

No, here at the coop, we are celebrating because one of our books has just won a Parents' Choice Silver honor award! Hurray!

Andrea's book, IGGY PECK, ARCHITECT is one of the 2007 winners! You can learn more about it at the Parents' Choice website! Congrats to Andrea and to Iggy's amazing illustrator, David Roberts!

For more info about IGGY PECK, ARCHITECT, chick out Andrea's website!

Guacamole all around!!!!!

In The Coop with Tom Lichtenheld

Have you met Tom? He's a swell guy who writes and illustrates even sweller books. (We're not sure if there is a word "sweller," but we think there should be, just for Tom.) Some of our favorites include Everything I Know About Pirates, What Are You So Grumpy About?, and What's With This Room?

Tom is not afraid to mention boogers or poo in his books. We like that in a person.

Check out his website, http://www.tomlichtenheld.com/


If you could live in one of your books, which one would you choose?

“What Are YOU So Grumpy About” because I like being around kids who are just a teeny bit grumpy for a not-very-good reason. That way I have excuse to act goofy so I can cheer them up. If I’m goofy enough, their mood changes and they laugh at me and themselves and they’ve got all the Grumpies out of their system for the day, then we can REALLY have some fun.

Do you prefer the Marx Bros or Three Stooges?
The Marx Brothers, because their characters are more diverse; from Goucho, whose humor was verbal, to Harpo, whose humor was all expressions and sight gags. I also like the way they poked fun at high society.

What was your best Halloween costume ever?

I cut a hole in a table, stuck my head through it and went as the centerpiece. The table was all set and I had flowers in my hair. Very Martha Stewart.

What is your Dream Job for a Day?

Race car driver. I got to drive fast cars on a race track recently and it was unbelievable fun.

Clown V. Mime Deathmatch. Pick your winner.
Clown, definitely. Because everything a mime does is pretend, so they can’t really hit or poke or bite or do anything that would hurt the clown. A clown on the other hand, always has good props that can be used as weapons; like a big horn, a unicycle or a Chihuahua. If nothing else, the clown could get in his little car and just run over the mime. What’s the mime going to do….call for help?

Funniest dead person you'd like to meet?

Mark Twain, who once said, “Outside of dog, a book is man’s best friend. Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read.” Now that’s funny.

Beauty and the Beaks

Beauty and the Beaks - A Turkey's Cautionary Tale
MJ and Herm Auch
Holiday House, Inc.
ISBN-13: 9780823419906

This is a public service announcement to all our fine, feathered friends. Thanksgiving is coming! And you know what that means . . .
RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!!

It's that time of year, once more, when tables across the land will be heaped high with dishes of mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, green bean casseroles, stuffing, and you-know-what.

Let's face it. If you are a turkey, this time of year, your goose is cooked. Especially if you are a conceited, braggart of a turkey like Lance in the new picture book BEAUTY AND THE BEAKS by MJ and Herm Auch.

Lance hasn't quite figured out that he is THE guest of honor for the Thanksgiving feast. When Beauty, the flying hen who runs the Chic Hen beauty parlor, informs lance that he's going to be stuffed with chestnuts at the feast, he responds, "Chestnuts? Yum!" (It seems that Lance is one egg short of an omelette, if you know what we mean.)

With determination, a new wardrobe, a complete facial, and a heavy-duty pair of tweezers, Beauty and company help Lance discover his inner chicken and survive the season.

This is a very funny (and punny) book full of great characters and amazing illustrations. Using hand-crafted chicken mannequins created from felt wool, yarn, polymer clay, and talent, MJ & Herm create and photograph a cast of fun and funky chickens and one fabulously freaked-out turkey.

This cautionary tale is a great story for any turkey wondering, "Wattle I do?" when Thanksgiving rolls around. Oh, and it's great for kids and their grown-ups too!

Quick Chick Picks: Thanksgiving

Let's face it: Thanksgiving can be stressful for a chick. Not only must you dine WITH your fowl relations, but you must dine UPON one as well. And if that's not enough to unglue you, there's the dreaded "day after" when you can't help but gaze upon your tail feather region and contemplate the wicked 1:1 ratio of stuffing consumed to the stuffing now heaped in your trunk.

Here in the coop we have two coping mechanisms to deal with Turkey Trouble:

1. Skip town and head to Vegas; or
2. Laugh your way through it (nervous laughter is better than no laughter at all).

Herewith, some book recommendations to help you with that last part:

Turk and Runt: A Thanksgiving Comedy, by Lisa Wheeler, illustrated by Frank Ansley, Atheneum, ISBN 978-0689847615. Young Runt hatches a grade-A plan to save his feather-brained sibling from the carving knife.

The Ugly Pumpkin, by Dave Horowitz, Putnam, ISBN 0399242678. An ugly duckling story with a hilarious twist and a perfect Thanksgiving message.

I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie, by Alison Jackson, illustrated by Judith Byron Schachner, Dutton, ISBN 978-0525456452. A cautionary tale for the overly ambitious eaters among us.

'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving, by Dav Pilkey, Scholastic, ISBN 978-0531059050. Classic Dav Pilkey. Need we say more?

Run, Turkey, Run!, by Diane Mayr, illustrated by Laura Rader, Walker Books, ISBN 978-0802796301. A fun read-aloud with a happy, grilled-cheese sandwich ending sure to please vegetarians and turkey lovers alike!

How To Be a Baby by Me, The Big Sister

How To Be A Baby by Me, the Big Sister
by Sally Lloyd-Jones
illustrated by Sue Heap
Schwartz and Wade Books, 2007
ISBN 978-0375838439

You know, we always thought it might be sort of, well, fun to be a baby. We love the idea of lots of napping and people making funny faces at us all the time. But Sally Lloyd-Jones and Sue Heap set us straight. As it turns out, being a baby isn't really very fun at all! After all, babies don't have long princess hair. They don't read books, they eat them. They can't run or hop or use scissors. And then there's that whole diaper thing. That can't be good.

The main character in this charming book gives us plenty of good reasons why being the older sister is a better deal than being the baby. And she sure convinced us! Lloyd-Jones has created a thoroughly believable main character here who is both sassy and sweet. Fans of the book 17 Things I'm Not Allowed To Do Anymore should check this book out, too. The illustrations are fresh and cheerful and reflect the main character perfectly. The childlike text and illustrations meld so well we can't imagine one without the other.

But we still think that lots of napping might not be such a bad thing...

In the Coop with Wong Herbert Yee

Some writers and illustrators have the remarkable ability to create characters who become friends at first glance. Wong Herbert Yee is exactly that kind of artist!

We fell in love with Fireman Small the first time we met him. And who could resist the gentle charm of Mouse and Mole? (That delightful pair is back in a new title, by the way. It's called Abracadabra! Magic with Mouse and Mole chick it out!)

So who is the genius behind these and so many other wonderful characters, you ask? In case you don't already know--because perhaps you live in a chicken coop and don't get out very much--we shall tell!

It's the amazing Wong Herbert Yee and we are pleased to have him in the coop! Welcome!


When you create a book, do the pictures or story come to you first?
Story, always. Even though I was an artist before becoming a writer.

How do you know when what you write is funny??
Mostly during school visits. Kids react more to the illustrations, though. They'll point, stare open mouthed and giggle. Such natural responses are the most rewarding.

What other careers would you like to see the intrepid Mr. Small pursue?
The Smalls are actually two different characters. Fireman Small and Detective Small are twin brothers. There could be another Small in the future, possibly a sister.

Do you have any tips for writing funny books?
I'm not sure that you can or should teach funny.

Do you have any tips for illustrating funny books?
Underwear is always good for a chuckle. Situations, the more absurd the better.

What are some of your favorite funny books?????
I'm a big fan of George and Martha, Frog and Toad . . . I guess the kind of humor I like involves how two characters react and respond to one another. It allows the reader to laugh at and with. It is what inspired my Mouse and Mole books.

If you could live in one of your books, which one would you choose?
Definitely Mouse and Mole, nature stuff. I like the idea of living in a tree, probably upstairs rather than downstairs. I'm always wondering what those two are up to.

Do you prefer The Marx Bros or Three Stooges?
Three Stooges! I watched them even while in college.

What is your Dream Job for a Day?
I couldn't think of anything better than what I'm currently doing, except maybe having my studio in a tree house.

What's next?
My next book will be out in the fall of 08. It's called A Brand New Day another in the Mouse and Mole series. On my drawing board are the rough sketches for Summer Days, Summer Nights. The 3rd book of a seasonal quartet that began with Tracks in the Snow (Holt 2003), and was followed by Who Likes Rain? this past spring.

If I'm dreaming, please don't wake me. Let sleeping dogs lie!

Halloween Quick Chick Picks

We recently decided that we don't feel like limiting our reviews to just three a month. Sometimes we feel the need to squawk about books that may not be new but are still noteworthy. Interestingly enough, we got this urge to review many books at once after eating roughly four pounds of candy corn.

Once we emerge from our sugar coma we will be happy to go back to our usual three reviews a month, but in the meantime, here goes:

Boris and Bella, by Carolyn Crimi, illustrated by Gris Grimly, Harcourt Books, ISBN-10: 0152025286. Boris Kleanitoff and Bella Legrossi must learn to get along in this fiendishly fun Odd Couple tale.

Happy Halloween, Stinky Face!, by Lisa McCourt, illustrated by Cyd Moore, Cartwheel Books, ISBN 9780439779777. A playful, reassuring take on Halloween for young worriers everywhere.

Room on the Broom, by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler, Puffin Books, ISBN-10: 0142501122. A kindhearted witch finds room on her broom for three lucky animals. Perfect rhyme makes this a winner year after year.

Spider and the Fly, by Tony DiTerlizzi, based on the cautionary tale by Mary Howitt, Simon & Schuster, ISBN 978-0689852893. Not a Halloween book per se, but a creepy delight nonetheless with its eerie mansion, ghostly guests, and tragic ending -- perfect for older kids who like their comedy dark.

Ten Little Mummies, by Philip Yates, illustrated by Brian G. Karas, Puffin Books. ISBN: 9780142403679. Ten little mummies who are bored stiff get into all kinds of trouble!

Happy Bird-Day, Andrea!

5 Things You Should Know about Andrea Beaty

1. Andrea's birthday was actually 10 days ago.

2. Andrea shares this coop with Carolyn and Julia, two chicks prone to random bouts of procrastination, sloth, flu, fluff-head, bed-head, weak knees, loose feathers, technical difficulties, hiccups and forgetfulness (see #1). Andrea pretends not to notice these things about them.

3. That is why we love her.

4. We also love her because she is the A#1 chick who makes things happen here in the coop with her boundless creativity and wit and egg-stra large brain.

5. As if that weren't enough - BONUS! - she writes fabulously fun books like Iggy Peck, Architect, When Giants Come to Play and many more to come!

We hope you'll join us in wishing her good books, good times, and much good cheer in the year ahead...

Happy Bird-Day, dear A!

The Hound from the Pound

The Hound from the Pound
by Jessica Swaim
illustrated by Jill McElmurry
Candlewick Press
ISBN 9780763623302

It is often said that dog is a man's best friend. It is also said that a cheesy crock of bean dip is a chick's best friend. But we chicks take umbrage at such crass generalizations, and we're here to say that we love both dogs and bean dip equally, although we don't advise mixing the two under any circumstances. But let's just focus on chicks and their pooches for a moment....

In Manchester Square, in a cottage of stone,
Miss Mary Lynn MacIntosh lived all alone.
The bedroom was cozy, the kitchen was clean,
but the days were too dreary, too doggone routine.

So begins Jessica Swaim's Hound from the Pound, a delightful wag of a tale about a lonely woman who finds companionship (and LOTS of it) from Blue, the titular hound from the pound, who invites all his friends over to hang at Miss Mary's:

Retrievers lined up at the toilet to drink.
Chihuahuas swam laps (muy bien!) in the sink.
A bloodhound got gummy bears stuck in his snout.
Shar-peis used the shower to steam wrinkles out.

Mary continues to be overrun by eager pound pups until Sam the Dog Trainer arrives just in time to save the day. The final spreads reveal a yappy ending for everyone (although Jill McElmurry's fashionista poodle bridesmaids do tend to steal the show!). Don't be surprised when kids holler AH-ROOooo and hound you for repeated readings of this fun romp!

In the Coop with Adam Rex

Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich is one of our all-time favorite funny books. It's the brainchild of (dare we say?) evil genius and artist extraordinaire, Adam Rex. Adam's talents run the gamut from fun and funky to evocative and poetic as in his beautifully detailed illustrations for Ste-e-e-e-e-amboat A'comin! by Jill Esbaum and Small Beauties by Elvira Woodruff.

We never quite know what to expect from Adam. So we were very excited to learn about his brand-spanking new novel, The True Meaning of Smekday. Check it out!
www.AdamRex.com
Adam's Blog


When you create a book, do the pictures or story come to you first?
The story is written first, but I can't help but think about the visuals as I write, so I'm making a lot of early illustration decisions as I go. I'm currently working on a story that started out as a dream, so we'll see how that goes.

How do you know when what you write is funny??
I don't, I suppose, but I know whether or not it's funny to me. Then I just sort of assume it'll work for some people. I'm not trying to throw the net too wide–burping and getting hit in the crotch is always at least sort of funny, but I'm usually trying for something a little less obvious. Of course, your reader will probably point out that I wrote a poem about big Japanese monster poo, which kind of undercuts what I just got through typing.

Do you have any tips for writing funny books?
Not a one.

Do you have any tips for illustrating funny books?
Watch the collected cartoons of Chuck Jones. Rent Buster Keaton movies. The General is a favorite of mine. I tend to think less is more, visually. Of course, your reader will probably point out that I wrote a poem about big Japanese monster poo, which kind of undercuts what I just got through typing.


Has being funny ever gotten you into or out of trouble?
It got me married. You can decide for yourself if I was in more trouble before or now.


What are some of your favorite funny books?????
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy trilogy, especially the first one. Books by David Rakoff, David Sedaris, Sarah Vowell. The Areas of My Expertise by John Hodgman. Anything by George Saunders.


If you could live in one of your books, which one would you choose?
I have to change this to plain text. I don't know how it was originally formatted, but it's playing hell with my answers– generating duplicate numerals whenever I hit return, making my cursor jump to random places when I begin typing...it's like it's trying to compose some kind of Fluxus stream-of-consciousness thing. I'm sorry, what was the question?


Do you prefer The Marx Bros or Three Stooges?
Marx Brothers. Ironically, I prefer Iggy and the Stooges to Richard Marx, however.


What was your best Halloween costume ever?
Last year I shaved my head and wore a Charlie Brown t-shirt. Several years ago I made a full-body robot costume that weighed fifteen pounds and lit up. The year I was working on Ste-e-e-e-eamboat A- Comin'! by Jill Esbaum I went as Steamboat Head. Take your pick.


What is your Dream Job for a Day?
The same job I have now, but astride a unicorn.


Clown V. Mime Deathmatch.? Pick your winner.
Clowns. Meaner. But it's a moot point, as clowns live at the south pole and mimes at the north. Wait–no. I'm thinking of penguins and polar bears.


Funniest dead person you'd like to meet??
Oh, they're all funny. I couldn't choose.

A Bounty of Bloggers at the Kidlitosphere Conference

On Saturday, a very exciting thing happened. A veritable bounty of bloggers descended upon Chicago. They came from all over just to meet and talk about kid-lit and blogging. One of the Three Silly Chicks was there.

Sadly, the other two had to stay in the coop and keep the bean dip chilled. Or warmed. Or something.

While Andrea was a bit sad to venture from the coop without Julia and Carolyn, she was mighty glad to meet so many cool and very funny folk.

And, best of all, beause they are bloggers, so many of them posted about their adventures in Chicagoland! Here are only a few of the posts about the weekend.

Thanks especially to Robin Brande for organizing this wonderful weekend! And to Esme Raji Codell for bringing together some of Chicago's authors to meet and greet folks.

It was so much fun. We wish the coop was bigger so we could have everybody over for salsa at our place. Oh boy! The feathers would fly (with fun) for sure!

These are just some of the great blogs represented at the conference. Hope you enjoy some of these great posts and pics!

Just One More Book - check out their podcast for Carolyn's DON'T NEED FRIENDS, too!

Check it out

Read Write Believe

Jimbo Jabber

Grow Wings

Got Art?

Gotta Book

MotherReader

Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast - Can you find the picture of the Silly Chick with the two fabulous blogging goddesses?

Planet Esme

Pictures from Just One More Book's Mark Blevis! Thanks, Mark!

Book Buds

Jen Robinson's Book Page

Big A Little A

A Chair, A Fireplace, and a Tea Cozy

Fuse #8 Production

Miss Rumphius Effect
Publish Post
Confessions of a Bibliovore

I know I'm missing some of you who attended and posted, but I'm all tuckered out!!! Thanks for a great event! Hope to meet you all again soon!

Perhaps we'll add a second story to the coop and have a party!!!

What Will Fat Cat Sit On?

What Will Fat Cat Sit On?
Written and illustrated by Jan Thomas
Harcourt Children's Books
ISBN 0152060510

There have been many deep and philosophical questions asked in literature. What is the meaning of life? Why are we here? But we think the question Jan Thomas poses tops them all. What, Dear Readers, will Fat Cat sit on?

It is most definitely a question worth pondering. Will Fat Cat sit on the cow? The pig? Certainly not the chicken! (If that had happened we would not be reviewing this book--no siree!) Finally the wise mouse comes up with a solution that pleases everyone. In this rollicking book, the reader gets in on the fun as the narrator asks what Fat Cat will sit on with every spread. Each animal is hoping it's someone else, and their witty asides make this book a pleasure to read out loud. We think it's perfect for threes and fours, but older kids (and adults!) will also love the irreverent humor.

Simple, whimsical illustrations complete this perfect package. This is Jan Thomas's first book. We can't wait to see what's next!

Iggy Peck, Architect

IGGY PECK, ARCHITECT
by Andrea Beaty
Illustrated by David Roberts
Abrams Books for Young Readers
ISBN 13: 978-0810911062

www.AndreaBeaty.com


Hip! Hip! Hurray! Iggy is here!

Tomorrow morning, something very exciting is going to happen. Andrea's new book, IGGY PECK, ARCHITECT, will be released into the wild!

Iggy is born to build. And build he does. At the age of two, he builds a great tower out of diapers and glue. Are they clean diapers? Not exactly. But, hey! When a boy's gotta build, a boy's gotta build!

Iggy has it made until he meets his match in second grade. His teacher, Miss Lila Greer, has a lot to say about architecture. She has issues. (She was scarred for life when she was lost in a skyscraper as a young girl and found by a French Circus Troupe. It was tres tragique.)

When she bans Iggy from building, it turns second grade into a bore. But one catastrophic field trip turns everything around when Iggy proves to the world that "there are worse things to do, when you're in grade two, than to spend your time building a dream!"

This book has it all. dirty diapers, a wacko neighbor, cool buildings, and fun, funny, funky, fabulous illustrations by David Roberts. He rocks! You can check out some of the pics here.

We hope you'll stop by Andrea's website in a couple of weeks. She's planning lots of cool school activities and helpful downloads for teachers, librarians, and booksellers. It will take her that long to get them done, though, because she's too busy right now celebrating by chowing down on bean dip, salsa, and chips and doing the cha-cha with a chicken on her head! It's so wrong. So terribly, terribly wrong.

Marcel Marceau

1923 - 2007

We are a little sad today at the coop, having just learned that Marcel Marceau has died. Here's a link to the NY Times Obituary.

It's true that we like to poke a little fun at mimes. Actually, we like to poke a lot of fun at mimes, but we do it out of love. (And because mimes, like clowns, can be a really scary sometimes.) However, there is a warm spot in our chicky hearts for Monsieur Marceau. He was a kind man dedicated to peace, a truly amazing artist, and a member of the French Resistance!

We shall think of him next time we are riding a bicycle, being buffeted by the wind, or trying to get out of a box. Things he could do better than anyone else!

Watch a video!

Piano Piano

Piano Piano
Written by Davide Cali
Illustrated by Eric Heliot
Charlesbridge
ISBN 9781580891712

Any child or chick who's ever been forced to take piano lessons will not only marvel at the tragicomic tour de force that is Piano Piano, but will immediately be tempted to send a copy to her well-meaning yet strongly misguided mother who made her practice the piano every day for YEARS, driving everyone within earshot to great despair and needless misery. (But we digress.)

In Piano Piano, young Marcolino would rather be anything other than the grand pianist his mother wishes him to be: "a grand pirate...a grand flying acrobat...a grand karate champion...anything but a grand pianist!" But taskmaster Mom lays a guilt trip on him big time. When Marcolino asks her why she doesn't become a grand pianist, she blames him: "...after you were born, I didn't have time to practice." Ouch! It takes a little talk with Grandpa and a few old photos before Mom sees the error of her ways and cuts Marcolino some well-deserved slack. While Davide Cali's text pokes fun at the mother, it's done in a loving and forgiving way, while Eric Heliot's sharp, modern illustrations heighten the humor in all the right ways. A perfect composition!

In the Coop with Mo Willems

We love Mo Willems. And though we already know so much about him from the very useful clues in our contest, we wanted to know more. So we asked. And Mo answered!

Mo's Website
Mo's Blog
The Pigeon Presents

We are especially excited because Mo has a new book out in stores even as we speak. It's called Knuffle Bunny Too. To read more about it, check here.

Thanks, Mo! And thanks to all our readers who stopped by to play along in our last contest! Here's to a great new year at Three Silly Chicks!

When you create a book, do the pictures or story come to you first?

Pictures or words never come to me, I actively seek them out.

As a cartoonist, I find the supposed division between images and words perplexing and arbitrary. It’s like asking if I walk with my feet or my eyes; take away either at any time and I’m guaranteed to stumble.

Is your latest book Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity autobiographical?

Everything in that book is true except the parts I made up.

The non-fiction is that I live in Brooklyn, NY with an irrepressible daughter and wife who, unlike me, is wiser than she is tall. The fiction is the part that reminds me to be a better dad than I actually am.

How do you know when what you write is funny??

The trick is to develop the ability to tell when your writing isn’t funny. Then all you have to do is take the unfunny out and trust your audience to enjoy whatever is left.

Can the pigeon operate other large motorized vehicles?

The Pigeon’s skills are limitless, his insurance premiums, however, can be problematic.

Do you have any tips for writing funny books?

Short answer: Keep the body count very small or very, very large.

On a practical level, the characters I create don’t know they’re funny. Instead, they approach the absurd situations they’re forced into with utmost seriousness and determination. The funny comes from watching them fail wholeheartedly.

Do you have any tips for illustrating funny books?

Short answer: Keep the body count very small or very, very large.

On a practical level, the characters I create don’t know they’re funny. Instead, they approach the absurd situations they’re forced into with utmost seriousness and determination. The funny comes from watching them fail wholeheartedly.

Has being funny ever gotten you into or out of trouble?

Oh yes, both. During high school, I was nearly suspended for including the word ‘fart’ in a cartoon in the student paper, a notorious scandal quickly labeled “Fartgate” (I know it sounds crazy, but you must remember that I attended a conservative prep school in the South during the late Renaissance).

Any-hoo, to clear the air, I was compelled to pen a public mea culpa to all offended Faculty members and student body. Contritely, I produced a document apologizing for my “uncivilized and regrettable mention of anal gaseous emissions in one of the State’s oldest running publications” and added as a post-script, “P.S. This whole fart thing stinks, but it will blow over soon.”

And you know what? It did.

What are some of your favorite funny books?????

I grew up on Peanuts and Doonesbury anthologies, Woody Allen’s Without Feathers and the radio scripts for Doug Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, but choosing favorites is like picking teams in second grade, someone funny always gets left out.

If you could live in one of your books, which one would you choose?

The Dull Adventures of the Lucky Little Boy Whose Wife Made Bolognese Every Night And Never Had to Do the Dishes

Do you prefer The Marx Bros or Three Stooges?

Are you kidding? Even without Harpo the Marx Brothers would be the funniest comedy group ever to grace The Great White Way or The Silver Screen. Harpo’s gleefully surreal shtick adds sublimity to the mix.

The Three Stooges punch each other, right?

What was your best Halloween costume ever?

An other time I got in trouble in High School was when I arrived on Halloween in khakis, pressed oxford shirt, and letter jacket. Satire trumps Vampire, I say.

What is your Dream Job for a Day?

Sheep farmer.

Seriously.

Clown V. Mime Deathmatch.? Pick your winner.

Who’s Mime Deathmatch? She sounds all sexy and goth and obtusely mysterious. I’ll take the clown.

Funniest dead person you'd like to meet??

The dead are, by and large, the least funny people you are likely to meet, which is, frankly, odd. I mean, they don’t have to worry about deadlines, or book reviews, or marketing plans, do they?

Actually, Harpo